Hair straightening apparatus



g- 1938- I, GOLDBERG 2,126,253

HAIR STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS L. GOLDBERG HAIR STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Aug. 9, 1938.

Filed Aug. 11

, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 9, 1938 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE HAIR. STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS Louis Goldberg, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application August 11, 1937, Serial No. 158,453

14 Claims. (Cl. 13236) structions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to'explain the principles of the invention.

f the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a typical and illustrative embodiment of the present invention,

, showing thescalp engaging clamp in opened position; h

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a winding rod suitable for use as a part of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a detailed, fragmentary cross-section of one end of the rod shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 1-4 of Figure 3;

to a

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view showing the device of the present invention in use and as applied to a rather short strand of hair to be straightened Figure 5 is a similar view showing the device in use and as applied to a much longer strand of hair;

Figure '7 is a sideelevation of a heater in accordance with the present invention and adapted to be used in connection with the device of Figures l to 6;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line i!-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is asectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is a detailed perspective view of a typical supportfor the electrical resistance and forming a part of the device shown in Figures '7, 8 and 9.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel and improved device for permanently straightening kinky or excessively curly hair, that-is, for rendering the hair straight so that retreatment is rendered necessary only by the continued growth of new, curly or kinky hair.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a device which is adaptable to widely varying lengths of hair such as is found in Negroes, and which can be used with equal success on the very short hair near the edges of the scalp or on the longer hair in the central portion of the scalp. Still another object of the invention isthe provision of a device for straighten- 3 ing hair in which the hair can be subjected to a strong, but regulable, tension so that when softened and heated for the requisite amount of time, the hair is easily and quickly straightened with certainty. The invention also provides a i hair straightening device which is not excessively bulky and can be used with a minimum degree of discomfort to the customer.

Hitherto it has been proposed to straighten the hair of Negroes by softening and heating the hair,

while it is subjected to a slight degree of tension, but there have been no prior devices in which a sufficiently great amount of tension could be applied, nor have there been devices which could be adapted with facility to widely differing lengths of hair. Other prior devices have been so bulky that only a small amount of hair could be treated at one time, thereby resulting in a long and expensive treatment with resulting discomfort to 'the customer. s

In accordance with the present invention, the

hair is combed out into a fiat, thin and wide strand and this strand is tightly clamped adjacent to the scalp, the ends (tips) of the hair are then clamped, preferably on a small roller and the roller is positioned in a frame at the necessary distance from the head, and while so positioned the roller is wound until the hair is tightly stretched and placed under the requisite degree of tension. With the hair in this condition it is wet with a suitable softening liquid, such as the ammoniacal solution which is commonly used as a permanent Waving lotion, and the hair is thereafter enclosed within a heater which raises the temperature of the moistened hair to a temperature close to the boiling point. This temperature is maintained for a short period of time, as determined by the operators judgment, and thereafter the heat is discontinued and the hair may be unwound, washed, dried and combed, having lost its curl or kinkiness during the treatment. If desired, and as may be necessary with some types of hair, an additional amount of the lotion may be maintained adjacent to the hair by means of a'lotion-moiste'ned absorbent material, such as fiannel, placed in contact with the hair inside the heater and maintained there during the heating process in order to maintain the hair adequately moist during the entire heating time. After treatment, the short tip ends of the hair which were wound on the roller may be trimmed off, leaving only straight hair on the scalp.

The apparatus of the present invention, in accordance with the present preferred form, comprises a relatively long and narrow clamp adapted to tightly clamp the flat, thin strand between its clamping members and this clamp is adapted to rest on the customers scalp, being held from contact therewith by means of suitable heat insulating members. Supported on the clamp is a frame having a top or end member parallel to the clamp, and side members parallel to each other and connected with the top member and the clamp so as to maintain the end memberand clamp in fixed relative positions. The roller on which the tips of the hair are wound comprises a long and relatively thin roller with a central portion of gradually reduced cross-section which is adapted to be supported at any one of various points along the side members of the frame and parallel to the clamping members. This roller is provided with clamping means by which the tip ends of the strand of hair may be grasped and clamped, and is also provided with a holding means by which it may be held against rotation in the side members of the frame once the proper tension has been established. The end bar of the'frame is preferably rounded and serves as a member over which the hair may be passed for handling longer than normal strands of hair, so that the strand may pass from the clamp to the roller supported at any one of several points along the frame, or may pass from the clamp over the end member and then to the roller so supported. In this way, the shortest as well as the longest strands of curly and kinky hair are all handled with equal facility by means of the same device.

The heater comprises a hollow shell of metal or other heat resistant material adapted to fit closely over the hair supporting and clamping frame, and within the hollow shell are supported heating elements, which may be in the form of electrical resistances, adapted'to supply heat to the moistened and tensioned hair.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the invention but are not restrictive thereof.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, there is provided a scalp-engaging clamp comprising the long, narrow bars I B and H which are pivotally connected together at one end by means of the pivot pin l2, and are adapted to be pulled together and held in tight engaging relation by means of the link l4 which is pivoted to the other end of bar II and may be passed between the bifurcated end pieces I6 of the bar It]. A cam lever i8 is pivotally'mounted on the end of link I 4 and is adapted to engage in the grooved portion'of the bifurcated ends I6 so as to pull the bars together and tightly clamp the hair. Bars in and H are encased within and spaced from the scalp by means of the C-shaped coverings 20 of rubber or other resilient material, tending 'to grip the hair more tightly than would be possible with the uncovered metal bars.

passed and held. Extending between the top ends of the members 22 and 24 and firmly supported thereon is a rounded bar 28 of relatively large section, over which the hair may be passed,

if suificiently long. This bar is preferably of a sufiiciently large section to avoid bending the hair around too small a radius, as otherwise a kink might be left in the hair after completion of the treatment.

The winding rod comprises a relatively long rod 30 of relatively small section, and provided with a centrally reduced and knurled portion 32. This rod is of a length approximately the same as the space between the members 22 and .24. Near one end thereof is pivotally mounted a clamping finger 34 which is shaped to lie along and close to the rod, and between which and the rod the tip ends of the strand of hair may be clamped and held by winding the end of the hair for one or two turns.

At one end of the rod 30 there is provided means for holding the rod against unwinding movement and these means may comprise a one way clutch 36 and a squared end 31 adapted to pass into and be engaged by any one of the apertures 28, while the other end of the rod is provided with a reduced neck 38 so that it may .pass into and be held in the corresponding slot 2?. At its outer end, rod 30 is provided with apertures 40 into which a pin may be inserted for turning the rod with the hair thereon to tighten and stretch the hair to the suflicient degree.

Figure 5 of the drawings shows a typical strand 4i of rather short hair tightly clamped between the bars l0 and I l and having its tip ends wound onto the roller 30 which is supported in an intermediate set of apertures 26 and 2'! on the side members. Slightly shorter or longer strands of hair may be similarly supported by positioning the roller in other pairs of apertures 26 and 21,

or by winding the hair to a greater or lesser degree on the roller 30.

Figure 6 of the drawings shows another typical but much longer strand of hair which is supported and tensioned for treatment by being passed over the roller 28. Other long lengths of hair may be similarly treated by positioning the roller 30 in other apertures.

Means are also provided for properly positioning the heating means with reference to the hair supporting and tightening means, and comprise the spacing lugs 42, and the stops 44, all of which may be formed integrally with the side members 22 and 24.

The preferred form of heatingmeans, although other forms may be employed, are shown in Figures 7 to 10 of the drawings, and comprise a pair of resistance heating elements spaced from each other and enclosed within a casing adapted to be slid over the hair supporting and tensioning frame. As embodied, there is provided a memher 5!] formed of heat-resistant, electrically-insulating material, such as pottery, and having side rails 52 and two series of pins 54 between which the resistance wire 56 may be strung in a zig-zag fashion, the ends of the Wire being connected to the electrical supply conductors 58 by which electric energy of the proper voltage is supplied to the resistance elements. These resistance elements are spaced from each other and held in parallel relation by means of the hollow frame Bi which is of a highly heat conducting metal, such as aluminum, and is of a size to fit closely over the hair supporting frame, as shown in Figure 8. The resistance elements are preferably secured to the outside of the frame 60 by means of the metal sheaths 62, and the metal frame 60 is heated thereby evenly heating the stretched and moistened hair, While the hair is protected from contact with the more highly heated resistance wires. A handle 66 is fastened to the upper and closed end of the hollow frame fill and serves to allow the operator to handle the heater without waiting for it to cool after completion of the straightening process.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanism shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the in- 'vention and Without sacrificing its chief advantages.

I claim:

1. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a frame supported on said clamp, means for gripping the tip ends of the strand, means for supporting the gripping means on the frame, and a bar over which the strand may be optionally drawn.

2. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a flat strand of hair near its roots, a clamp to engage the tip ends of the strand, means for spacing the two clamps, and means for holding the second clamp in hair stretching position.

3. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a flat strand of hair near its roots, a clamp to engage the tip ends of the strand, means for spacing the two clamps'at a variable distance from each other, and. means for holding the second clamp in hair stretching position.

4. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the strand, means for spacing the two clamps a variable distance apart, and means for holding the second clamp in hair tensioning position.

5. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the strand, means for spacing the two clamps a variable distance apart, and a bar over which the hair may be passed to lengthen the path between the clamps.

6. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a long, narrow clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the strand, means for spacing the two clamps apart, and a roller mounted in the spacing means on which the second clamp is mounted, said roller being positionable in the spacing means at difierent distances from the first clamp.

'7. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a long, narrow clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the strand, means for spacing the two clamps apart, a roller mounted in the spacing means on which the second clamp is mounted, said roller being positionable in the spacing means at different distances from the first clamp, and a bar over which the hair may be passed to lengthen the path between the two clamps.

8. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the hair strand, and means for variably spacing the clamps apart.

9. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the hair strand, means for variably spacing the clamps apart, and means for heating the stretched hair.,

10. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tipends of the hair strand, means for variably spacing the clamps apart, and a hollow heater to pass over and enclose the second clamp and the strand of hair.

11. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the hair strand, means for variably spacing the clamps apart, and a hollow heater to pass over and enclose the second clamp and the strand of hair, said hollow heater fitting tightly at its base with the first clamp.

12. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage a strand of hair near its roots, a second clamp to engage the tip ends of the hair strand, means for variably spacing the clamps apart, a heater, and means for holding the heater spaced from the strand of hair to be straightened.

13. In a hair straightening device, the combination of means for securely gripping the strand of hair near its roots, means for gripping the tip ends of the hair strand, means for spacing the gripping means apart, means for relatively moving the gripping means to stretch the hair, and means for holding the gripping means in hair stretching position.

14. In a hair straightening device, the combination of a clamp to engage the hair near its roots, a clamp to engage the tip ends of the hair strand, means for spacing the clamps, means for relatively moving the clamps to stretch the hair, and means preventing reverse relative movement of the clamps to hold the hair stretched.

, LOUIS GOLDBERG. 

